1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ceramic heating element.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional ceramic heating elements comprise a ceramic body having a heating (resistance) wire embedded therein. When an electric current is passed through the heating wire it causes the wire to heat thereby heating up the ceramic body and causing the latter to emit heat by radiation.
Conventional ceramic heating elements also usually contain an in-built thermocouple located near to the heating wire. A difficulty with conventional designs of element is the positioning of the thermocouple within the element. When positioning a thermocouple within the ceramic body the thermocouple junction must be located a consistent distance from the heating wire in order to give accurate readings. Also there must be no electrical interference between the heating wire and the thermocouple as this can cause electrical damage.